【明報專訊】Sino-Japanese relations have worsened since Zhan Qixiong (詹其雄), captain of a Chinese trawler, was arrested in early September. Japan claims the trawler has illegally fished in Japanese territory. China calls the claim "absurd" because it has fished in waters under Chinese control.
The spot where Japanese officers took hold of the Chinese trawler is close to uninhabited islands know as the Diaoyus (釣魚島) in Chinese. Both China and Japan claim sovereignty over them.
Chinese people have reacted strongly to Japan's move. Anti-Japanese sentiment has run high in all parts of China. Some have demonstrated outside the Japanese Embassy in Beijing to urge the Japanese government to release Zhan. Chinese netizens have suggested boycotting Japanese goods. A Japanese school on the mainland has been damaged. Beijing is planning to discourage Chinese citizens from holidaying in Japan. It is believed that Japan's tourist business would then badly suffer.
■Keywords
international relations……國際關係
social identity……社會身分認同
■Questions
1.Why has the Japanese government kept Zhan Qixiong in detention?
2.How have Chinese people reacted to the incident?
3.To what extent does the incident demonstrate Chinese people's recognition of their social identity?
■Further readings
BBC. "China halts top-level ties with Japan over boat dispute", 2010.09.19
